The organisers of Miss Nigeria USA beauty pageant have picked Saturday, August 12 as the day for the 2017 edition of the contest.

The director of the pageant, Joy Fakhoury, told a NAN correspondent on Tuesday that 17 contestants would participate in the beauty contest in New York.

The 16 finalists are Miss Abia, Abuja, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Rivers.

Fakhoury said the winner of the pageant would cart away $10,000.

“Miss Nigeria USA title is earned through hard work and dedication, demonstration of self-confidence, beauty, intelligence and elegance,” she added.

The director also said the mission of the pageant, which has held annually since 2014, is to display the wealth of Nigeria’s cultural values to the U.S. and the global community.

According to her, the organisers aim to “appreciate and promote women with strong goals and interest in promotion Nigerian culture and supporting causes related to education and women empowerment.

“The pageant is raising the profile of the Nigerian young women to expand their opportunities while illuminating their outer beauty and also to empower women by creating a forum and opportunity for competition among the most brilliant and beautiful women of Nigeria.”

“We support the Nigerian culture by using this model of competition. This experience prepares them to accept life’s challenges and to produce role models who exemplify and promote positive values amongst Nigerians.”

Past winners

The reigning Miss Nigeria USA is Lola Abeni Adeoye, a 2014 alumnus of the School of Communications at Howard University.

The 2015-2016 Miss Nigeria USA was Olutosin Itohan Araromi, a first generation Nigerian-American graduate of Montclair State University.

Miss Frances Udukwu, a first generation African-American with Nigerian parentage, was the maiden Miss Nigeria USA in 2014-2015.